


Dark Tempest

by anesor



Series: Star Wars Snippets [24]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Battle of Coruscant, Death is only the beginning, Gen, Not Exactly Redemption, Revenge of the Sith AU, Time Travel Fix-It, vengeance, washing machine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24019846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anesor/pseuds/anesor
Summary: Tyranus was amused while watching the seduction of the arrogant Chosen One, as he wasn't convinced the brat was a good candidate for effective power use.He wasn't as amused when Sidious ordered the execution.
Relationships: Dooku & Anakin Skywalker, Dooku & Obi-Wan Kenobi, Dooku & Qui-Gon Jinn, Dooku | Darth Tyranus & Palpatine | Darth Sidious
Series: Star Wars Snippets [24]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/930086
Comments: 6
Kudos: 134





	Dark Tempest

### \- _**t**_ _ **he Invisible Hand**_

The boy’s anger boiled against my shields. I was not pleased he had seized enough power to disarm me, Kenobi was unconscious and not a factor in encouraging the brat’s Fall.

I knew it was so easy, so freeing to ignore a Code that only chained necessary actions. Fully rejecting ossified strictures nine centuries old. I panted a few breaths as Sidious played another thread of words, to wedge in those last few cracks that still shone in the so-called Chosen One’s darkness.

“Kill him. End the war...”

I looked at Sheev, shocked by a deeper betrayal than all the frustrating orders in the shadow war. He was gleeful- greed and lust for the boy’s power.

Skywalker still teetered, an instant’s glance toward Kenobi.

“We cannot deal with a prisoner and your wounded friend, kill him.”

The boy’s face firmed and I was swallowed up  
swallowed up by pain  
and Darkness crashing through me  
all awareness of anything  
anything outside myself and the Force  
churning through and around me.

Pain and disorientation like Force lightning that didn’t just strike me but encompass me in a deep-sea trench.

But more than dark depths of Kamino was the torrent of power sweeping me along toward something unknown… a tidal wave, a tsunami that rocked me in all directions and pressed inward at great depths, bouncing me against something more solid than rock but as ephemeral as _his_ promises. I churned in water-like rapids of exultant Dark with only tiny veins of Light.

Near those I could breathe again, almost absorb what happened when I struck the rocks again  
again and again  
anger and fear meant nothing in the tempest of the unfeeling Force  
as I was shattered and crumbled against the rock  
over and over until my rage and betrayal  
were pounded smooth  
until all that remained was bruised numbness  
numbness and the Force itself.

And in exhausted numbness I floated in the currents of the Force. No up or down, no Light or Dark, detached from Living and Unified.

This wasn’t the horror stories of the crechelings’ idea of Sith hells, nor the serene unity of a Master’s striving…

_What was I? Was this some kind of vision?_

The ache at my neck reminded me of those last moments of Darkness engulfing me.

I tried to move my arm and touch my neck, to punch the boy, and I felt nothing. Nothing solid or material reached my perception. I could not even bite my own lip.

Nor could I perceive any other presences, my Master or the foolish boy, not even the unconscious General. Nor could I detect those who had already joined the Force, Qui… Sifo… even proud Asaaj, so many others. I just floated wherever the current took me.

Maybe a cataract would dump me into a lava river to burn for eternity for my arrogance and willfulness.

To believe _**I could**_ control this raging river that makes any mortal a straw in the wind.

My Master knew better and I the spiteful child, just like the ‘Chosen One...’ _He_ would learn in just as harsh a lesson, disposed of as soon as convenient.

Pawns are only to be disposed of after all.

After decades, I took a breath.

I felt the echoes of muscular action, not painful but strange even after centuries.

I took another, air seeming both warm and cool. My chest ached as if from external pressure and I struggled to lift my eyelids as a high-pitched shriek began to echo through my head.

My hands were gripping wrists as a smaller Darkness pushed against me like an almost laughable squall. “Cease your caterwauling, this instant.”

I pushed them down into quiet easily, and she finally stopped fighting me.

My eyes finally opened, seeing Asaaj in what appeared to be my old quarters. I blinked, and saw Komari Vosa, clearly in middle of a fit that I did not return her affections.

I finished what I should have done immediately, pushing her into a deep sleep, catching her to place on the couch.

I took a full breath, giddier than from the rarest wine. This was my quarters in the Temple, far Lighter than I’d felt anything for so many years.

No Sidious, no flagship, no miasma of war. I could feel both familiar presences and mass of nearby Jedi. I felt a twinge of pressure from the Light, but nothing I could not resist. I looked down at the unconscious and imbalanced Padawan, that I had once thought was much less aggravating than my earlier apprentice.

I had not seen her violence as anything but competence against Mandos.

Now I knew that her problems were far less Dark than I’d thought then. Skywalker’s affair had nothing to do with his embracing the Dark on the _Hand,_ but anger and fear.

 _Was I Dark? Was I not?_ Were my future actions erased or carved deeply into my presence?

“Master?” Muffled words carried through the door.

I blinked too many times in a few seconds of shock before releasing the door so it allowed Qui-Gon’s entrance.

Qui-Gon stood in the doorway, feeling of hesitance. “Is something wrong, Master? The Force called me here, despite our last words...”

He looked so young and strong, not like the holos of his pyre which had been all I had to say farewell with.

I forced my attention to the present. “Komari just revealed an… unfortunate disturbance. Would you be willing to contact the Halls while I calm myself?” I wanted to touch Qui-Gon, be sure this was not a mirage.

The decision was taken out of my hands when he swung an arm around my shoulders, hesitantly, as I usually scolded any displays of affection.

As I had been taught by a non-human who knew no better about Falling.

But now I knew better the value of a strong bond and how meaningless weak ones were. “I’ve missed your company, Padawan.” I turned in Qui-Gon’s embrace to hold him. My Padawan, alive and warm against me, just as impossible as a living Komari.

 _What had I done?_ I leaned away, afraid he’d feel the Darkness I’d wallowed in for too long. “I’m sorry, Qui-Gon. I… don’t know what would happen if I outlived you.”

His jolt at that admission was clear. “Here and now, Master. I’m Temple-bound again, as the Healers and Council examine our health after that debacle on Melida/Dann. I’m more likely to give Windu another headache than be at risk.”

I looked over at Komari, with her distraught appearance: still blond hair and disturbed robes. “She is convinced she has some Grand Passion for me. Not the usual unrequited Padawan affection, but something deluded and Darker. Not anything like greed of the Sith even...”

Qui-Gon looked at me in alarm. “Sith? Not a concern for _today,_ Master. They are gone for millennia.”

Anger with Maul, rage at Sidious… I smothered those. “No, they will reemerge soon, but not today. Today I have a Padawan who needs considerable healing and reassignment to another Master. Not all Darksiders are Sith, and Komari may have started too far down that path already.”

Just how many of our lineage has taken that path now or come too close? This was almost a depressing thought now as Qui-Gon notified the Halls. I had to review memories decades old and fully obscured by Darker events.

“You need to meditate, Master. You are clearly disturbed by the youngling.” Jinn sounded worried enough to make me smile.

“I...” I knew I wanted to seize the excuse to smooth my reentry, but compassion was weak still. “I don’t think I will be able to assist her, but I had a... vision of Komari leading a cult of assassins and that expelling her would solve nothing. The vision left… holes behind. I will not further train her. I will meditate as soon as she is settled and I can speak with a Healing Master.”

He did not look satisfied when he departed with the medical transport, but I would have to avoid the Council until I felt more sure of myself. Leaving the Order had not accomplished anything useful. The most useful knowledge I could be sure of was Bane’s lineage.

Mine was still intact and I would not let my betrayer steal us away again.

_They were mine._

**Author's Note:**

> May the Sith be with you? I really meant to post this for May 4th, but health issues really reek this year. So enjoy the late story.
> 
> Dooku is a Darker, much Darker gray now, but no loyalty to the Sith anymore and a passion about that lesson. 
> 
> Star Wars is the property of George Lucas and Disney. Author makes no profit from this fan work and no copyright infringement is intended.


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